Slovan Bratislava manager Vladimir Weiss has detailed Middlesbrough’s attempts to sign David Strelec in January.

Boro are understood to have held talks with the Slovakian champions about the 23-year-old striker, who they identified as a replacement for Emmanuel Latte Lath. However, Bratislava are believed to have been holding out for a fee of around £9.5 million, with one director saying the striker was far more likely to leave in the summer transfer window.

With that in mind, Boro walked away and eventually made a deal to sign Kelechi Iheanacho on loan from Sevilla. The former Leicester City striker has Championship experience after winning promotion with the Foxes last term, and Boro are said to be delighted with the deal they managed to agree that sees them paying only a fraction of his wages.

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But discussing Strelec’s potential exit, Bratislava head coach Weiss, father of the former Manchester City and Bolton winger, has now detailed how Bratislava did have a late change of heart on allowing Strelec a move to Teesside that reports in Slovakia suggested he was keen on. However, with so little time remaining, and an Iheanacho deal agreed, Boro could not pursue the move.

"David Strelec had a chance to go to Middlesbrough in the second English league," said Weiss. “I believe that he will be able to choose an even better club later. Middlesbrough gave a good offer. We have decided that David will stay with us. First, we gave to him consent on the eve of the end of the transfer window. Finally, transfer didn't work out with Middlesbrough. It was all very rushed and everyone has a part to play in why the transfer didn't go through.”

While Strelec will remain in his home country until the end of the season now, there is hope for a future Boro move, with Bratislava expected to cash in then. Boro will continue to monitor him, with Iheanacho’s loan move without an option giving them time to assess their longer-term plans after Latte Lath’s exit.

They weren’t alone in their interest in the Slovakian international though. There was said to be interest across Europe, with Celtic making an offer that Strelec’s dad admitted would have been attractive to them too.

On Celtic's interest, Strelec's dad, Milan, said: "The clubs did not agree. And is David sad? First of all, he is a professional, and he takes it that way. The world will not collapse. Strelec was very interested in staying to help Slovan win the championship and get them back into the main stage of the Champions League. I don't take it as tragic either, although a transfer to Celtic would have been great."

Previously speaking about his future, Slovan Bratislava director general Ivan KmotrIk told Sport: "If David leaves, it will definitely be a Slovak record. In the situation we are in today, however, I do not realistically see him leaving in the winter transfer window. Interest in Strelec is still growing, offers are increasing. And big transfers are always usually made in the summer period. I am convinced that the interest in him will be even greater in the summer.”